In 2019, the FBI confirmed that Samuel Little is the most prolific serial killer in U.S. history. Little confessed to killing 93 victims across several states between 1970 and 2005.
Little was 80 years old when he passed away at a California hospital on December 30th, 2020. Although there was no specific cause of death, Little suffered from diabetes, heart problems, and other health conditions.
However, Little’s twisted timeline is still ongoing as he left behind a macabre puzzle for detectives. Over the past five years, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) has been working on cold cases they have linked to the serial killer. Law enforcement has been able to verify 50 confessions and is still working to verify the remaining 43 cases. The FBI stated its analysts believe “all of his confessions are credible”.
Little’s kill count is higher than Ted Bundy (victim count – 30), John Wayne Gacy (victim count – 33), and Jeffrey Dahmer (victim count – 17) combined. Yet, despite these shocking figures, he is still relatively unknown to the public.
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5. He Selected Victims He Thought Nobody Would Care About
Samuel Little selected female sex workers and drug addicts who were vulnerable as his intended victims because he believed these deaths would go unnoticed.
Little was able to avoid detection for almost four decades. He believed he would not be caught because he thought no one was accounting for his victims. He said, “I never killed senators or governors or fancy journalists. Nothing like that. It would be all over the news the next day. I stayed in the ghettos.” Little killed and then skipped town.
Little had a long criminal history in early adulthood. He was previously arrested for driving under the influence, fraud, shoplifting, solicitation, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and rape.
During his time in prison for these crimes, he learned how to become a professional boxer.
The serial killer used his psychopathic superficial charm to lure his victims into a false sense of security. He would go on a date with the women he had selected as victims – take them out to dinner first – then he drove them both to a secluded alleyway or deserted side road.
This location was his intended kill site. He used his boxing skills to knock his victims out cold with one punch or place them in a chokehold before strangling them to death. Then he dumped the bodies.
Many of the victim’s deaths were originally reported as overdoses or death by accidental or undetermined causes. Some bodies were never found.
ViCAP Crime Analyst Christie Palazzolo said, “For many years, Samuel Little believed he would not be caught because he thought no one was accounting for his victims. Even though he is already in prison, the FBI believes it is important to seek justice for each victim – to close every case possible.”
4. He Was Sentenced Following Disturbing Testimonies From Survivors
In 2012, Little was arrested on a drug charge in Kentucky and extradited to California, where officers carried out DNA testing. The DNA results linked him to three unsolved murders from 1987 and 1989 in Los Angeles County. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted and sentenced to three consecutive life sentences, with no chance of parole.
Former sex worker Lelia Johnson gave her testimony in court, recalling how she was attacked by Little in November 1981. She said, “He got his big hands around my neck, but I’m a fighter and I was scratching him in the eyeballs, kicking and fighting, fighting, fighting. He was evil. You could tell he hated women and he liked having control.” She managed to escape with her life but failed to report the attack at the time as she assumed nobody would believe her.
Another sex worker – who wishes to remain anonymous – testified, “He put me in a bathtub and was submerging my head in and out of water. He beat me severely, and I guess the only reason he didn’t kill me is because a friend of mine came and knocked on my door.”
3. He Draws His Victims From Memory To Help Solve Cold Cases
Over the past five years, the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program has been working on cold cases they believe are linked to Little.
Due to his photographic memory, which allows him to recall the faces of victims even decades later – Little has been able to assist in solving many of the cold cases connected to him. He is also able to remember with great accuracy where the exact location of each murder was and what car he was driving at the time.
Little has sketched many portraits of his victims and this has proved successful in identifying two women. The serial killer said, “The only things I was ever good at was drawing and fighting.”
The FBI then shared these portraits in an effort to identify more victims. They also published video interviews where he describes details of the murders.
An FBI spokesperson said, “We are hoping that someone – family member, former neighbor, friend – might recognize the victim and provide that crucial clue in helping authorities make an identification. We want to give these women their names back and their families some long-awaited answers. It’s the least we can do.”
To date, 50 of his confessions have been confirmed and the remaining 43 confessions are still unmatched, however, the bureau’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program is still working to solve these cold cases.
The FBI urged anyone with information about the victims to call or email analysts at the bureau’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program at 800-634-4097.
2. He Confessed To A Texas Ranger
Little kept up his not guilty plea even following his sentencing. Then finally, Texas Ranger James Holland eventually managed to persuade Little to drop the act and confess to his brutal killings.
Holland was able to question Little for more than 700 hours at the California prison whilst the two ate pizza together as the serial killer described the murders in detail.
Little confessed to the Ranger every murder he could remember.
Holland said, “He was so good at what he did. He did the crime and left town. The first thing I picked up on is how smart he was. Nothing he’s ever said has been proven to be wrong or false. We’ve been able to prove up almost everything he said.”
1. He Compared Killing To “Being In Bed With Marilyn Monroe”
It’s not unusual for a serial killer to show no signs of remorse. However, Little actually referred to himself as an “angel of mercy” as he believed” “God put me here to do this.”
During a series of disturbing interviews, he referred to his victims as “my babies” and that “(killing) felt like heaven. It felt like being in bed with Marilyn Monroe.”
Little was 80 years old when he passed away at a California hospital on December 30th, 2020. Although there was no specific cause of death, Little suffered from diabetes, heart problems, and other health conditions.
He now leaves behind a macabre puzzle for the FBI agents to piece together.
